Tuesday 6 May 2025

Registration

Breakfast MasterClass

Morning Tea

THE 2024 AUSTRALASIA-PACIFIC HOTEL DESIGN AWARDS, presented by HM Magazine.

Lunch

Design Inn Part 3

Networking Event hosted by Marriott International

BREAKFAST MASTERCLASS presented by Shape.

Inside the transformation of Salter Brothers’ Accor portfolio: thinking outside the box to maximise return on refurbishments during tough economic times.

• ANDREW PICKERING, Commercial Manager, Shape
• GRACE LEI GUO, Director, Stack Studio
• GUY BLUNDEN, Director – Client Services, WMK Architecture
• MIKE WATSON, Head of Design, Dezign

Moderator: MARIE COLANGELO, Project Director (Strategic Projects) Salter Brothers

PANEL: Realising the commercial benefit to ESG
Sustainable design comes at a cost – what can owners expect in return?

• BRENDON PITT, Senior Sustainability Engineer, NDY
• CATHERINE HART, Senior Design Manager, Toga
• CRAIG BOND, Senior Vice President Head of Operations, Pan Pacific Hotels Group
• KRISTI WAYMAN, Director of Design & Technical Services, Pro-invest Group
• SARAH HULL, Director of Sustainability and Brand, Cooper and Company

Moderator: ANGELA BIDDLE, Principal, Fender Katsalidis

PROJECT SHOWCASE: Moxy Sydney Airport
The journey to bring Marriott International’s playful lifestyle brand Moxy to the Australian market. 

MARIA VERNER, Transactions Manager (Hotels), RF CorVal

MASTERCLASS: Advancing accessible design
Catering to a multitude of guest needs through elevated accessible design.

• JULIE OCKERBY, Principal Creative Director, Meli Studio
• KERRY WILLIAMS, Founder, Accessible Accommodation (The Accessible Group)
• RYAN SMITH, Founder & Chief Access Officer, The Access Agency

Moderator: PHILLIPA LE ROUX, Design & Project Director, Australasia, Hilton

PANEL: Sensory design: a feast for the senses
Tuning in to sensory design to enhance various touchpoints of the guest experience.

• FAY GREENHALGH, Executive Design Director, Studio All
• JODI GRZYB, Art Consultant, Art Corporation
• RACHEL LUCHETTI, Principal, Luchetti Krelle

Moderator: IVAN SUNDE, Industry Consultant

KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: ENVIROHACKING
CALLIE VAN DER MERWE, Founder & Principal Architect, Design Partnership; Co-Founder, COOOP Pty Ltd

Callie van der Merwe is a registered Australian Architect who has completed multiple award-winning commercial interior spaces all over the world with a signature philosophical approach of design for predictive behaviour.

As Co-Founder of COOOP Pty Ltd, operating from offices in Sydney and Dubai, he adopts an evidence-based design approach informed by empirical data to tailor-build environments that elicit positive human responses. COOOP terms this process “EnviroHacking”: identifying and framing the appropriate environmental architectural models, patterns or typologies for application towards increased joy, efficiency and wellbeing.

In this talk, Callie will share some architectural examples that best illustrate these universal biases influenced in part by our childhood memories, but to a much bigger extent, our evolutionary memories.

PANEL:  Power in F&B partnerships
Partner with a hospitality expert or go it alone? Finding the winning formula for a must-visit F&B venue.

• ALISON HULM, Director, Development Australasia, Langham Hospitality Group
• JOHN GOUNIOS, National Design Director, Greaton Pty Ltd
• JOHN C W THOMAS, Owner & Director, Sangster Design Group
• MARY MACKILLOP, Director Design – Interiors, WMK Architecture
• STEVE FINLAYSON, General Manager, The Playford Adelaide – MGallery

Moderator: MICHAEL HYDE, Head of Hospitality & Hotels, Comcater

DESIGN SHOWCASE: 25hours Sydney
Behind the curtain of the highly anticipated Australian brand debut of 25hours

• ELLEN STENHOLM, Director of Lifestyle Design, Pacific, Ennismore
• SHELLEY INDYK, Design Director, Indyk Architects

PANEL: Bathrooms beyond expectation
What’s new and innovative in the world of bathrooms.

• DEE PASSENGER​​​​, Principal | Manager Interiors, Cottee Parker
• LACHLAN MACFARLANE, Chairman, Argent Australia
• STEVEN HIGGINS, GROHE ANZ, part of Lixil

Moderator: SAMANTHA EADES, Director, Mitchell Eades

DESIGN SHOWCASE: The Interlude
Behind the historic walls of HM Prison Pentridge, a boutique hotel is born.

JULIET ASHWORTH, Partner & Creative Director, CHADA

PROJECT SHOWCASE: Adelaide Marriott
The transformation of the historic Adelaide GPO building into a landmark luxury hotel.

JOHN GOUNIOS, National Design Director, Greaton Pty Ltd

PANEL: Eye of the operator
Hotel operators share their views on important issues impacting hotel design.

• ELLEN STENHOLM, Director of Lifestyle Design, Pacific, Ennismore
• JONATHAN CONROY, Senior Director, Design & Engineering – Australasia & South Pacific, IHG
• PHILLIPA LE ROUX, Design and Project Director – Australasia, Hilton
• SCOTT BOYES, Chief Executive Officer, Trilogy Hotels

Moderator: ANGELA BIDDLE, Principal, Fender Katsalidis

THE 2024 AUSTRALASIA-PACIFIC HOTEL DESIGN AWARDS, presented by HM.

DESIGN INN PART 4 – HOTEL SITE TOURS (Additional registration required).

Crowne Plaza Mawson Lakes
Due to open in H2 24, this is your chance to gain an exclusive first look of this new-build property.

Mantra Tonsley Adelaide 
Opened in 2023, this new-build hotel presents a contemporary four-star offering.

Hotel Alba, Independent Collection by EVT 
Described as a ‘stylish urban retreat’, this South Terrace hotel launched in September 2023 following a transformative refurbishment.

Peppers Waymouth Adelaide
Fresh from a multi-million-dollar renovation, unveiled last year, this new-look hotel features a new ground-floor restaurant.  

Hilton Garden Inn (prototype), Adelaide Oval
Want to first-hand experience the market’s most efficient kit-of-parts prototype, a suite of tailored offerings, greater flexibility with franchised and managed hotel agreement options and Hilton’s powerful commercial engine? Join a tour of the Hilton Garden Inn regional room prototype.

NETWORKING EVENT FOR DESIGN INN & FUTURE LEADERS ATTENDEES & AHICE SPEAKERS. (Additional registration required). Presented by Dandelion Vineyards and Radisson Hotel Group.

NETWORKING: THE AHICE ASIA-PACIFIC ‘AFTER HOURS’ COCKTAIL LOUNGE at The Playford Adelaide – MGallery, presented by Outrigger Resorts & Hotels, Wayfarer; Westward Whiskey and De Beaurepaire Wines (glass of wine on arrival and pay as you go).